Bid to raise £40,000 to improve additional support needs base at Brechin school

By Ben MacDonald

July 4 2022, 11:28am

An online fundraising campaign has been launched to extend the additional support needs base at Andover Primary.

The mother of two children with disabilities has created an online fundraiser to extend the base where they are looked after at school.

Daria Dudziak says the additional support needs base at Brechin’s Andover Primary School is crucial for the education of her kids – Sebastian, 12 and Raven, six.

But Daria says there is not enough space or resources for the seven children using the Rainbow Room, with another five due to start after the summer holidays.

She and fellow parents have now launched a GoFundMe page to raise £40,000.

Daria’s children Raven, 6 and Sebastian, 12 both attend the Rainbow Room. Picture: Daria Dudziak

Daria said: “Before the Rainbow Room my oldest child, Sebastian, sat in with the mainstream classes and it just wasn’t suitable for him.

“Over the years myself and other parents of children with autism have tried to get a proper space for our children so they can get the education they are entitled to.”

More money needed for the Rainbow Room

Due to the varying support needs the children have, Daria says lots of resources are required to give them all what they need.

She said: “My children have been with the Rainbow Room for a couple of years and it has been amazing for them.

“They have an amazing teacher who looks after them.

“The problem is that it is such a tiny room, there are seven children and there will be another two joining after the summer holidays. The children are also a range of different ages and therefore have different needs.

No space for resources at Andover

“The teacher has been fighting for a bigger space for the kids but it has been really hard.

“That’s why I decided to create the page with the support of fellow parents.

“Brechin High School has everything that the children need, not just in terms of education but to help them become more independent.

“The teacher at the school just doesn’t have the space and resources to do something similar at Andover.”

So far, more than £4,000 has been donated to the cause.

The money raised from the online campaign will help provide more support for children like Sebastian and Raven.

Daria explained the GoFundMe page is just the beginning of how the group of parents are looking to help children in the area.

She said: “The page is a start.

“We thought about setting up a not-for-profit organisation so we can gain more support and have more people in the community involved.

“We are starting with the children in the Rainbow Room but would love to help children from throughout Angus gain the support that they need in order to be.”

The campaign is also being supported by Brechin councillor Jill Scott.

Jill Scott has shared her support for the campaign.

She said: “I would like to praise the hard work and dedication of the parents that have set up this GoFundMe page, which has reached over £4,000 to date.

“The support from the community has been tremendous.

“I look forward to seeing the additional resources at the Rainbow Room and the difference that this will make to the children.”

A spokesperson for Angus Council said the local authority is working with parents and the school on the issue.

They said: “A council officer attended a meeting regarding the proposed expansion of the Rainbow Room base at Andover Primary School and is working with the headteacher on the detail of this.”